Signaling system



C. W. KECKLER.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1919.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W.. KEOKLER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. KEcKLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. i

This invention relates to signaling systems and more particularly to signaling systems applicable to pneumatic despatch systems to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein. 7 The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved and simple signaling system, requiring very little apparatus, to indicate the occurrence and location of blockades in a pneumatic despatch system in which blockades, continuing for longer than a predetermined interval, will operate an additional signal to'indicate this fact. In accordance with this object, a featureof the invention resides in the provision of signals and pneumatic-relays directly controlling the actuation thereof, together with an additional signal and means actuating such additional signal in the event the pneumatic despatch system is blockaded in excess of a predetermined consecutive interval.

The drawing diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment of the present invention as applied to a pneumatic ticket system suitable for use in telephone exchan es.

1 Two receiving stations A and each having a pair of tubes 10 and 11' extending from different sending stations (not shown) are illustrated. The tubes 10 and 11 at'each receiving station open into a common delivery tube 12, the lower end of which ter minates between a pair of soft rubber rollers 13 normally in close contact, and which serve to remove the tickets from the delivery tube 12 without admitting air thereto. The tube 12 is perforated as at 145 and except for its lower end which extends between the rollers 13, is located within an air tight casing 15 having a pipe 16 extending therefrom through whichair flowing through the tubes 10, Hand 12 is exhausted by anysuitable means (not shown). Air tight'joints are provided wh'ere'the tubes 10, 11 and 12 extend through the casing 15. 1

-'The particular delivery apparatus shown corresponds with that illustrated infa patent to Amos F. Dixon, N 0. 1,065,924, issued July 1, 1914, and while this arrangement is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application fiIed'J'une 5, 1919. Serial No. 301,872.

especially satisfactory, any other suitable delivery apparatus may be used to facilitate the removal of the tickets from the delivery tube 12.

In ticket distributing systems of the type shown, the tickets 17 are usually of rectangular form and are bent transversely to form a flap before insertion in the sending tube. The air is exhausted from the tube in advance of the ticket, and the resultant higher air pressure at the rear thereof acts against the flap to cause forward movement of the ticket. Under normal conditions the ticket 17 is moved forward until it reaches the bottom of the delivery tube 12 at the desired receiving station, where it is seized by the rollers 13 and removed from the tube 12.

Tickets occasionally become stuck in the tubeslO and 11 and also in the delivery tube 12, and although a blockaded ticket will often be released within a few moments, without outside aid, it is desirable to indicate the presence of the blockade and its location immediately upon the occurrence thereof so that steps may be taken at once to clear the blockade before other tickets become involved therein. 1

To furnish such indications, apair of pneumatic relays l8 and '19 are provided for each of the receiving stations. The'relay 18 comprises an air tight casing divided into two compartments by an air tight flexible diaphragm'20 so mounted as to form an air tight partition between the compartments. The left-hand compartment is connected with the tube 10 by a communicating tube 21 and the right-hand compartment is con-' nected with the tube 11 by a similarcommunicating tube 22. In the normal operation of the pneumatic system, the air pressure in the tubes 10 and 11 issubstantially the same in which case the diaphragm re mains in its central position, since the pressure on opposite sides thereof is substantially the same. Should a ticket 17 become lodged in the tube 10, however, the pressure in this tube in advance of the ticket is reduced in comparison with theairpressure in the tube, 11 so; that the diaphragm 20 is bowed toward the left. A pair of spring contacts 23 and 24 are mounted in the left-' hand compartment'of the relay 18 and adjusting screws 25 and 26 regulate the relative movement of the contact 23 necessary to engage it with the contact 24. A similar pair of contacts 27 and 28 are mounted in the" right-hand compartment and adjustlng screws 29 and 30 are also provided for a like purpose. lVIovement of the diaphragm moves the contacts 23 and 27 accordingly and the adjusting screws 25 and 29 can also be used to regulate the difference in pressure in the two compartments, necessary to effect a given movement of the contacts 23 and 27, respectively.

The relay 18 is preferably so adjusted that the difference in the pressure necessary to engage the contacts 23 and 24 or 27 and 28, respectively, will be suiliciently high so that minor fluctuations of air ressure occurring in the tubes 10 and 11 wi 1 not engage such contacts, but at the same time sufficiently low so that the difference in pressure due to the lodging of a ticket in either one of tubes 10 or 11 will engage the appropriate pair of contacts. Assumingthat a blockade occurs in tube 10, contacts 23 and 24 will be engaged, thereby completing an operating circuit for a signal lamp 31 individual to these contacts. This circuit extends from grounded battery 32, through the winding of a relay 33 common to the system, lamp 31, conductor 34, contacts 23 and 24 and common conductor 35, to round. The signal lamp 31 is illuminated thereby indicating that a blockade exists in the tube 10 of station A. A signal lamp 36 individual to contacts 27 and 28 of station A is similarly controlled by the pneumatic relay 18 thereat and the illumination of the lamp 36 indicates a blockade in the tube 11 of station A. The contacts 23 and 24 and the contacts 27 and 28 of station B respectively control the signal lamps 37 and 38; illumination of the lamp 37 indicating a blockade in the tube 10 of station E and illumination of the lamp 38 indicating a blockade in tube 11 thereof.

The pneumatic relays 19 are also divided into two compartments by a flexible diaphragm 39 forming an air tight partition between the compartments, and the lefthand compartment is connected with both the tubes 10 and 11 just above their connection with the delivery tube 12, by a communicating tube 40. The right-hand compart ment is similarly connected with the casing 15 near the lower end of the delivery tube 12, by a communicating tube 41. In event of blockades occurring in the delivery tube 12, the air pressure in the casing 15 will be '7 reduced materially in relation to the air pressure in the tubes 10' and 11, and will move the diaphragm 39 to the right. A pair of contacts 42' and 43 mounted in the right-hand compartment of relay 19 and having adjusting screws 44 and 45 as de- 7 scribed for relay 18, are moved into engage ment asa consequence of a blockade, and

complete an operating circuit for the signal lamp 46, individual thereto.

Illumination of the lamp 46 indicates the presence 01 a blockade in the delivery tube 12 of station A. The contacts 42 and 43 of the pneumatic relay 19 of station E control an individual signal lamp 47, the illumination of which. similarly indicates the presence of a blockade in the delivery tube 12 of station B.

It will be noted that a blockade occurring in the delivery tube 12 does not operate the relay 18, since the pressures in the tubes 10 and 11 are substantially the same under this condition. An additional blockade occurring in the tubes 10 and 11 of that station would, however, operate the relay 18 thereof to indicate the additional stoppage in the same manner as previously described. 5

As soon as a blockade is cleared, either with or without aid, the relay 18 or 19 affected, returns to its normal position, thus disengaging the contacts thereof. Assuming the blockade was in tube 10 of station A- upon clearance thereof the contacts 23 and 24 of relay 18 are disengaged thereby opening the operating circuit of the signal lamp 31 and extinguishing the same, thus-indicating that the tube 10 is again clear.

Should a blockade or blockades continue beyond the period in which they should clear themselves, or be cleared by an at tcndant whose duty it is to remove blockades, it is desirable to indicate this fact by a special signal which is not operated until the blockade has continued beyond this predetermined interval, which might in practice be about onehalf minute. A signal lamp 4811219, been shown for this purpose and might in practice be located at a point convenient for the observation of the attend-- ant, his supervisor, or both. If desired, an audible alarm 49 arranged in a local circuit, may also be provided and controlled through a relay 5O energized during the illumination of the signal lamp 48. In this case a hand switch 51 may be included in the local circuit of the audible signal 49 and closed or opened according to whether or not it is desired to have the audible signal 49 actuated in addition to the lamp 48.

The signal lamp 48 is initially illuminated upon the completion of a circuit therefor, closed upon the engagement of contacts 52 and 53 01 a rotary stepping switch 54. The contact 52 is mounted on an arm 55 carried by a toothed wheel 56 normally held in the position shown by a spring 57 which serves to hold the arm 55 against a stop 58. Astepping magnet 59 controls the movement of an arm 60 carrying a stepping pawl 61 which engages the teeth of the wheel. 56 to move it forward one step upon each energization of the magnet 59. A detent pawl 62 isnormally held out of engagement with the wheel 56 by an armature 63 the movement of which Is controlled by a-magnet 64. The magnet 64v is normally energized upon the occurrence of a blockade and maintained energized so long as such blockade continues or until after the illumination of the signal lamp 48 as hereinafter explained. Accordingly, so long as the magnet 64 is energized the detent 62 is in a position to engage the teeth of the wheel 56 and to hold this wheel in any position to whichit is moved by the ste ping pawl 61.

he operating circuit of the stepping magnet extends through a contact 65 which is actuated by a constantly rotating cam 66 to close such contact momentarily at predetermined intervals, for example, every six seconds. The operating circuits of the stepping magnet 59 and the magnet 64 also extend-through a normall'y open contact 67 controlled by the relayv33 common to the system. The relay 33 is normally de'e'ner-' gized sothat the contact 67 is open so long as no blockades exist in the system. As soon as a blockade occurs, however, the oper ation of the pneumatic relay is effected, for example, the relay 18 of station A, en aging the contacts 23 and 24 thereof, completes a circuit for the signal lamp 31 which includes the relay 33 therein. The resultant energization of relay 33 closes the contact 67 thereby 'completing the-operating circuit of relay 64, this circuit extending from grounded battery 68, winding of relay 64, contact 67 and left-hand normal contact of relay 50, to ground. The. magnet 64 is thereby operated and the detent pawl 62 moves into position to engage the teeth of the wheel 56. Upon the-next closure of contact 65 the circuit for the stepping magnet 69 is momentarily closed and the wheel 56 moves-forward one tooth and is held in this position by the pawl 62. This circuit extends from grounded battery 69, contact 65, winding of stepping magnet 59, contact 67 and lefthand normal contact of relay 50, to ground. T'he'contact 67 remains closed so long as any blockade continues and the operating circuit of magnet 59 is again momentarily completed on the closure of contact 65, six seconds after the first closure. The wheel 56 is thereby moved forward another tooth and assuming the blockade continues for at least four more six second intervals there after, the wheel 56 will be moved forward six teeth. .Upon the'last step of the six, the contacts 52 and 53 are engaged, completing the initial energizing circuit for the signal lamp 48. This circuit extends from grounded batter 70, lamp '48, contacts 53 and 52. to ground This effects the illumination of the lamp48.' A parallel circuit is also provided for the relay extending from grounded battery 71, through a normally parallel circuit to maintain the lamp 48 illuminate'd, this parallel circuit extending from grounded battery 70, lamp 48 and left-hand alternate contact of relay 50, to ground. The relay 50 in operation also completes the local circuit for the audible signal. 49 in the event that the switch 51 therein is closed and thus maintains both the signals 48 and 49 in operation so long as relay 50 is maintained energized.

The opening of the left-hand normal con tact of relay 50 incident to its energization opens the circuits of the magnets 59 and 64, thereby preventing further forward movement of the wheel 56 and effecting the retraction of the detent pawl 62 therefrom. Retraction of the detent pawl 62 permits the spring 57 to return the wheel 56 to its normal position, disengaging the contacts 52 and Under this condition'stepping of the wheel 56 does not take place independent of-the additional time during which the blockade may continue. The signal lamp 48 is, however, maintained lighted land" theaudible signal 49 is also operated until the attendant or supervisor ascertains that the blockade has been cleared whereupon he will operate the key 72. Upon operation of this key the relay 50 is deenei'gizedthereby effecting the extinguishment of the signal lamp 48 and opening the local circuit of the audible signal 49.- The normal left-hand contact of relay 50 is also closed by this'operation, conditioning the circuits of the magnets 59 and 64 for subsequent operation as previously described.

Should the blockade be cleared before the engagement of the contacts. 52 and 53, the operation of the pneumatic relay is eiiected, for example, the contacts 23 and24 of the relay 18 at station A will be disengaged, thereby opening the circuit of the lamp '31 and also that of the relay 33, assuming that no other blockades exist. The extinguishment of the lamp 31 indicates that the blockade in the blockade or blockades having all been cleared within the allowed interval.

What is claimed is:

l. A signaling system comprising a tube, a signal to indicate the condition within the tube, a circuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly control the circuit to change the condition of the signal on a change in the condition within the tube, a second signal, and means to change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of the changed condition Within the tube in excess of a determined interval. Y

2. A signaling system comprising a plurality of tubes, a signal to indicate the condition within one of the tubes relative to another, a circuitfor the signal, means communicating with the tubes to directly control the circuit to change the condition of the signal on a change in the relative condi tion Within such tube, a second signal, and means to change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of the changed condition within such tube in excess of a determined interval.

3. A signaling system comprising a tube, a signal toindicate the occurrence of blockades therein, a circuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly con trol the circuit to change the condition of the signal on the occurrence of a blockade in the tube, a second signal, and means to change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of a blockade in excess of a determined interval. V

4. A signaling system comprising a plurality of tubes, signals to indicate the occurrence of blockades in the respective tubes, a circuit for each of the signals, means communicating with the tubes to directly and selectively control the circuits to change the condition of one of the signals depending on the tube in which ablockade occurs, a second signal, and means to change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of a blockade 1n excess of a determined 7 interval.

5. A signaling system comprising a plurality of tubes, a signal individual to each of the tubes to indicate the occurrence. of a blockade in its respective tube, a circuit for each of the signals, means communicating with the tubes to directly and selectively control the circuit of the signal individual respective tubes, circuits individual to each of the signals, means communlcating with the tubes to directly and selectively control the circuits to change the condition of the circuit of a signal individual, to a tube on the occurrence of a blockade in suchtube, a second signal common to said plurality of tubes, and means to change the condition of the second signal on the: continuance of a blockade in any tube in excess of a predetermined interval.

7 A signaling system comprising a tube, a signal to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein, a circuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly change the condition of the circuit on occurrence of a blockade in the tube, a second signal, means to initially change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of a blockade in excess of a predetermined interval, means to thereafter maintain the second signal in such changed condition independent of subsequent clearance of such blockade, and means to restore the second signal to its previous condition. 7

8. Asignaling system comprising a tube, a signal to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein, a circuit for the signal, means communicating With the tube to directly change the condition of the circuit on occurrence of a blockade in the tube, a second signal, means to initially change the condition of the second signal on the continuance of a blockade in excess of a predetermined interval, means to thereafter maintain the second signal in such changed condition independent of subsequent clearance of such blockade, and manually controlled means to restore the second signal to its previous condition.

9. A signaling system comprising a tube, a signal to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein, a circuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly change the condition of the circuit on occurrence of a blockade in the tube, a second signal, a timing device set in operation on occurrence of a blockade to initially change the condition of thesecond signal on the continuance of a blockade in excess of a predetermined interval, means to thereafter maintainthe second signal in such changed condition, and means to restore the timlng device to its normal condition during the maintenance of the second signal in such changed condition.

10. A signaling system comprising a tube, a signal to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein, acircuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly change the condition of the circuit on occurrence of a blockade, a second signal, a timing device set in operation on the occurrence of a blockade to initially change the condition of, the second signal on continuance of the blockade in excess of a predetermined interval and restored to normal condition subsequent to the operation or means, to

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maintain the second signal in such changed condition, means to maintain the second signal in such changed condition, and means to preventsubsequent operation of the timing device during the maintenance of the second signal in such changed condition.

11. A signaling system comprising a tube,

. a signal to indicate the occurrence of blockades therein, a circuit for the signal, means communicating with the tube to directly change the condition of the circuit on occurrence of a blockade, a second signal, a timing device set in operation on the occurrence of a blockade to initially change the condition of the second signal on continuance of the blockade in excess of a predetermined interval and restored to normal condition subsequent to the operation of means to maintain the second signal in such changed condition, means to maintain the second signal in such changed condition, means to restore the second signal to its previous condition, and means to prevent rsubsequent operation of the timing device until after I the restoration of the second signal to its previous condition.

12. A signaling system comprising a plurality of tubes, signals to indicate the occurrence of blockades inthe tubes, circuits individual to each of the signals, means controlling these circuits, a second signal, a timing device operative to change the condition of the second signal on continuance of a blockade in excess of a predetermined interval, a controlling circuit for the timing device, and means included in the circuits of the signals to change the condition of the controlling circuit on occurrence of a blockade to set the timing device in operation.

13. A signaling system comprising a pluthe signal circuits to change the condition of the controlling circuit on occurrence of a blockade to set the timing device in operation.

14. A signaling system comprising a plurality of tubes, signals to indicate the occurrence of blockades in the respective tubes, normally open individual circuits for the signals having a ortion thereof in common and having the signals located in the individual portions thereof, means selectively I controlling these circuits to close a selected circuit on occurrence of a blockade on one of the tubes, a second signal, a timing device operative to change the condition of the sec ond signal on continuance of a blockade in excess of a predetermined interval, a controlling circuit for the timing device, means included in the common portion of the signal circuits and operated on the closure of any oneof these circuits to change the condition of the controlling circuit on occurrence of a blockade to set the timing device in operation.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of May A. D., 1919.

CHARLES W. KECKLER. 

